LETTER TO THE NIGERIAN MEDICAL STUDENT

Dear Comrade,

I understand what you are going through now. No sooner did you accept the admission granted to you into Medical school than the burdens and stress of Medical School was unleashed on you.

You have bombarded daily round the clock with lectures. Assignments and tests have been mobilized for action against your premature and inexperienced brain.

I understand it because I am in the system even though still an infant. The same conditions as described above have been afflicted on me. This is because I am attempting to become a proficient doctor one day. All these ‘undesirable conditions’ were disposed to me by my able lecturers. Yes the same lecturers which were students years ago.

I have been forced to reading late into the night as my diurnal life has been snatched. My comfort, social life and personal upkeep seem to be ‘vandalized’ by these ‘vandals’.

But it’s not so, these conditions are not ‘vandals’. They are neither here to snatch your time nor for degrading your social status. They are proven and tested professional tools given to you to rescue you from your naïve, brain-draining and unprofessional thoughts and give you a hope of being a Doctor. They are to remove those ‘pap like’ substances that obstruct normal mental reasoning thus posing a threat to your ambition.

I am writing you to let you know that you will have a rough time. You will sleep less, play less, travel less and indulge in warfare with nature.

How long you will stay in this college of medicine depends largely on you. One thing is sure, theses professional tools will be with you till you brain is revived. But if you decide to withdraw yourself from these mental drilling, then you shall become a failure to yourself, your family and your community.

As such just try and abide by these few words;

·         Cooperate with your lectures

·         Deny the pleasure your body always demands

·         Read to understand and not necessarily reading to pass alone

·         Be of good conduct

·         Eat well with a good hygienic life as your profession teaches

NEVER BACKDOWN

 Your Fellow Comrade,

Afromi D I